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BEREA, Ohio – Hue Jackson did not agree with Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam's statement that "internal discord" led to the firing of Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley on Monday.
"I do not really think it's really just about internal discord," said Jackson on Friday on ESPN's First Take. "I think that's a strong word." I think you have disagreements with coaches. [defensive coordinator] Gregg Williams, with Amos Jones, who's also the special-teams coordinator. I do not think that's internal discord. "
To what, then, did Jackson play losing his job in his third season with the Browns?
"I think it's really, really about Baker Mayfield," Jackson said. "I think they want to do everything they can in the situation … I mean, you got the first pick in the draft – who I think is going to be a quarterback franchise, who's going to be a sensational player – and he's not playing as well.
"So again, here is the perfect storm to move forward and move on."
Baker Mayfield said, "Bring it on," when asked what he thinks about being relied upon by the Browns through the aftermath of their midseason coaching changes.
Hue and Haley are out, Gregg Williams is up and Baker Mayfield faces instability. Let's go through what we know – and do not – about the Browns.
New Browns offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens said Thursday that he wants to see growth of rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield and that his development is of "utmost importance."
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The perfect storm was brought on by the record and Jackson's belief that Mayfield would have been better served in a different style of offense.
Jackson was fired after a 33-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers dropped the Browns to 2-5-1. He was brought back for 2018 after going 1-15 and 0-16 his first two seasons because Haslam believed the staff he was given in 2016 and '17 impeded winning.
"Bottom line, let's just be clear, we did not win enough," Jackson said. "At the end of the day, when you look at it, we do not win enough games.
"You know, these jobs, there are 32 of them and I was fortunate and blessed by Dee [Haslam] and Jimmy to have an opportunity to be one of 32. But it's the end of the day, when you look at it, you gotta win it and we did not. "
Jackson said the one thing he would be doing this.
"That's what I got hired for," Jackson said. "If you're going to go out, you're going to be doing things that you know and believe in."
Jackson said he made the Haley hire and gave him control over the offense and playcalling.
But he watched the season unfold, Jackson grew to believe that Mayfield should have been running on an offense. fewer seven-stop drops.
"I think you've got to go back to Oklahoma and use all the concepts that made him, the first pick in the draft," Jackson said. "I think you do everything you can to play the way he plays, and you build your offensive football team and your system to his liking, because it's going to help you the best version of him."
He said that he wanted to "help" with the offense. He said after the most recent loss, he was going to talk to Haslam and John Dorsey general manager about taking over the offense.
Had said he was going to see if he could fire Haley.
Instead, at the beginning of the meeting with Haslam and Dorsey, Jackson was told he was losing his job. Haley was fired about an hour later.
"I think we played a traditional style of football," Jackson said. "And that's OK, there's nothing wrong with that." But again, the question that was asked of me is, "What would you do with Baker?"
"I think that's where I think the rubber meets the road, and you're going to do that, then you go back and do it. first pick in the draft. "
Asked why he did not just take control because he was the head coach, Jackson said the Browns' system – as set up by Haslam – did not work that way.
"Because at the end of the day we're still a collaborative group," Jackson said. "I think the owner and the GM are also involved in that.
"Any decisions that I made that way I would not have run by Jimmy Haslam and John Dorsey."
Jackson does not hide from his overall 11-44-1 record as a coach in Oakland and Cleveland.
"I hope the next opportunity is for me back and be coordinator, first and foremost," he said. "Go back and put my name back to where it should be, among some of the best playcallers in this league, and then to move forward from there. "
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